In an ideal world, employees look up to their bosses, but we know that is not the case all the time. You are probably aware about workers talking bad about their bosses when they are not around, so how should managers like you deal with it?

The answers lie within you. Be a model employee so your employees take you seriously. Here are some steps to make you respectable to your staff members.

Never go drinking with your subordinates – Even if bosses want to be nice to their employees, the fact remains that both positions are not equal. You are their boss, not their friend. If it cannot be helped that you are invited for a round of drinking with your employees, avoid the urge of divulging anything about your private life. You do not want to become a hot topic at the water cooler the next morning.

Only provide advice that are crucial to employees’ job performance – Getting asked for dating tips or money problems should be the least of your concerns. However, there are career-related problems that employees need to be solved with your help, such as taking care for a sick parent or maternity leave.

Participate in their tasks when needed – Some tasks can be tedious that managers like you should participate as well, such as distributing flyers to pedestrians or setting up a trade show booth. Be willing to get your hands dirty, like you used to when you were a subordinate.

Take the blame for erring employees – Instead of berating your worker when something goes wrong with a client, reflect upon the fact that it was you who is supposed to be supervising your employee. Monitor your erring workers closely, provide more training, or let them go if the poor performance continues.